Stalemate in battle of top two as Livi edge closer to title

Apr 7 2011 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

JOE HAMILL wants Livingston to get back to winning ways and seal the Second Division title as quickly as possible — to avoid the prolonged agony of inching towards glory.

The midfielder was out on loan at this time last season when the Lions took a few weeks to stutter their way over the finishing line and confirm their championship and he reveals they are keen to make sure they don’t make the same mistakes this time around.

He said: “It was a must win game for Brechin so it is a good point for us and we’re happy with it. But it wasn’t the best of games and we’ll have to play a bit better if we want to win the league quicker.

“We have six games to go and Brechin still have eight but we’ll need to try and play better and get there.

“I was away on loan when the boys won the Third Division last year but the boys have said they just got over the line. The boys who were in the team last year have reminded us that we don’t want to be in that situation where it drags on and on.

“So we will make sure everyone is up for every game and try and get it over and done with.

“Brechin made it hard for us and I think we just cancelled each other out but we have enough good players we should have got over that but it didn’t work out.”

A win for Livingston over second placed Brechin would have taken them to within four points of the title but their seven match winning run was brought to a halt after a goalless draw at the Braidwood Motor Company Stadium.

The hosts created the game’s first chance on 12 minutes when Keaghan Jacobs, one of three siblings in the Lions starting line-up, skinned Roy McBain on the inside right channel and whipped the ball across goal towards Iain Russell but Gerry McLauchlan managed to throw his body in the way to send the ball looping over the bar for a corner.

Home skipper Liam Fox had a couple of long rangers with one straight at Craig Nelson and the second whistling narrowly past the post but chances were proving to be few and far between.

Kyle Jacobs flicked narrowly wide for Livi after he wriggled clear into space in the box before Craig Barr powered a header straight at Nelson.

Barr had the first chance of the second-half too when he rose to meet a Hamill corner but the defender got right underneath it and headed it harmlessly over the top.

Ref Brian Winter waved away the first of a few penalty appeals when he ignored Iain Russell’s pleas after he hit the turf under a challenge from McBain.

At the other end Brechin striker Rory McAllister was shown a yellow card after Winter was left unimpressed took a tumble down after clashing with Livi keeper Tony Bullock and City felt they had another shout when David McKenna went down.

Livingston had a golden opportunity to win it 15 minutes from time when sub Raffaele De Vita cleverly fed strike partner Russell but his low drive from 12-yards crashed back off the inside of the post.

Daniel McKay flashed an angled drive narrowly past the post for Brechin in the closing stages while Neil Janczyk clipped the top of the crossbar with an effort from outside the box.

Livingston manager Gary Bollan said: “It’s a better point for us than it is for Brechin as they had to come here and win.

“We set our stall out to win but we’ll settle for a point as looking around there is absolutely no change in the league table anywhere from the morning so the ball is still in our court.”

Brechin boss Jim Weir all but conceded the title race was over saying: “The mathematics tell us it is still possible but being realistic Livi are an excellent side and to win 13 of their last 14 league matches before today is fantastic and that’s championship winning form and if they win the championship then it will be well deserved.

“I didn’t think we played particularly well in the first-half and although we weren’t under too much pressure Livingston probably had the best chance. But in the second-half we had a wee bit more of a go and we had a couple of opportunities.

“I was a wee bit disappointed to pick up four bookings.

“I felt there was definitely contact with the first one with Rory and certainly the second one where David is adamant but I’ll need to have a look at it again.

“I just felt the cards were going one way today.

“We got something out of the game and now we’ll go on to Tuesday which will be another big game for us.”

Courier Man of the Match: Craig Barr

Livingston: Bullock, D Jacobs, C Barr, Watson, Talbot, Keaghan Jacobs, Kyle Jacobs, Hamill, Fox, Russell, Deuchar (De Vita).